There is a strong association between crime and drugs. Evidence suggests that amongst offenders drug use is much higher than in the general population. There is also evidence that some types of crime are carried out in order to feed drug habits or would not have been carried out if individuals were not under the influence of drugs. Part of the work of the Home Office and the cross-government drugs strategy, therefore, is to ensure that individuals receive the appropriate drugs treatment through the criminal justice system.
We are carrying out research to help answer these questions:
What is the extent of drug use in the offending population?
What are the social and economic costs of crime and drugs?
How effective are current programmes aimed at reducing drug-related offending?
We have conducted a number of research projects, including work:
to assess the link between crime and drugs amongst the offending population, quantifying the extent and beginning to identify underlying trends and patterns
to help understand the extent of drug-related offending
on evaluating treatment programmes or systems to channel more efficiently individuals with drug problems into treatment programmes – most of these are within the criminal justice system
to estimate the social and economic costs of drug use, including the costs of crime
The Drug Interventions Programme (DIP): addressing drug use and offending through ‘Tough Choices’, Home Office Research Report 02, 2007 Key implications Executive summary Main report
